VILLAGERS are campaigning to save a "landmark" public house from the bulldozer.

VILLAGERS are campaigning to save a "landmark" public house from the bulldozer.

The Old Barn Inn at Three Cocks, near Brecon, is the focus of a planning application to demolish the pub and replace it with new houses.

Powys County Council is due to consider outline plans submitted by architects on behalf of Bywyd Developments, which are now subject to public consultation.

A handful of villagers are up in arms at the potential loss of a building they say gives character to the village - even though hardly any of them drink there.

Chris Jones, 51, an occasional customer, said, "The Old Barn is a lovely building. It has been there for 200 years and there is a bit of history to it.

"Why would anybody want to knock down a building like that and slam up new houses? It doesn't make sense."

The Old Barn is run by licensees Bryant and Jennifer Chivers, both 52, who say it has only survived by attracting passing trade from as far as the Midlands.

Mr Chivers, who is originally from Blaina in Blaenau Gwent, said the pub was little more than a drinking den in a field when he bought it five years ago.

"It was a bit of a dive back then, a run-down shed used by under-age drinkers and drug users," he said.

"It was on its last legs and it wasn't being used by decent people. The police had a problem with it."

Mr Chivers, who also made a living as a beer salesman, said he sympathised with the villagers who wanted the building saved, but said few had supported it as customers.

He believes the building is of no historic value - it is not a listed building and has only been used as a pub in modern times.

"To me, the people who are trying to save it don't like progress," he said.

"The people wanting to save it, don't want to come in the pub, but I run a tidy pub. Our customers come from Birmingham and Cardiff - passing trade. In the summer we do a lot of good trade, but in the winter we can close at 9pm because the trade isn't there."

Mr Chivers added, "We thought we could create a nice community pub and we started doing food. It took us a while to chuck out the rough element and turn it into a family pub and the police were happy."

Mr Jones said two local women had started a petition to save the old barn, which he claimed had been signed by most of the residents of the nearest housing estate.